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Malefex
Like most runs of bad luck, being a malefex just happens to people. In alleys, shantytowns, and wildernesses of the world there are people who make their way on the edges. Street gangs band together for mutual protection, tribes form traditions that help ensure their survival, and criminal organizations turn to shards of strange magic for an edge against their rivals. Malefexes are part of these traditions, an unspoken sorority of the downtrodden who master curses remembered in children’s songs and grandparents’ stories. When wizards turn up their noses at street-level work and sorcerers abandon the slums for a better life granted by their magic, the malefex is there, often trained by little more than life on the streets and traditions remembered from the last time the gang or neighborhood had a malefex. Many go their entire lives thinking their skills are a tradition unique to their own city or tribe, while others travel and discover to their surprise that other malefexes, remarkably like themselves, exist the world over. Malefexes draw on tradition and communal memory to curse their enemies, and bring a variety of odd skills to the table to support their allies. They thrive best when they can work with a team, setting up their friends and colleagues for lethal blows and easing their way through more esoteric problems. Malefexes fight dirty, and make no apologies for winning. Role: '''Malefexes cripple the enemies of their party and then go after soft targets while offering an array of useful skills and out-of-combat abilities. During explorations, malefexes can help handle traps and obstacles without blowing them up, and may supplement the sagacity of a party’s wizard or bard for threat identification. '''Alignment: '''Any. A malefex can use her powers to any end she wishes. '''Starting Age: '''Intuitive '''Starting Wealth: '''4d6 × 10 gp (average 140 gp.) In addition, each character begins play with an outfit worth 10 gp or less. '''Hit Die: '''d8 '''Class Skills: '''The malefex’s class skills are Acrobatics (Dex), Appraise (Int), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disable Device (Dex), Escape Artist (Dex), Heal (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (all) (Int), Linguistics (Int), Perception (Wis), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Spellcraft (Int), Stealth (Dex), Swim (Str), and Use Magic Device (Cha). '''Skill Ranks per Level: '''6 + Int modifier. '''Class Features The following are the class features of the malefex. Though a malefex is not, strictly, a spellcaster, the psychic ties that fuel her powers allow her to use psychic skill unlocks as if she could cast psychic spells (see Pathfinder Roleplaying Game: Occult Adventures ''for more details). '''Weapon and Armor Proficiency' A malefex is proficient with all simple and martial weapons, as well as with light armor. Malefactions (Su) Malefexes express their power through curses and jinxes known as malefactions. All malefactions target a single creature or object within medium range (100 feet + 10 feet per malefex level) of the malefex, and require the malefex to clearly verbalize their curse against the target (a malefex with telepathy can substitute telepathic communication directed at the target, if she wishes). Malefactions do not provoke attacks of opportunity, and in order use one, the malefex must have a general idea of where the target is (such as by seeing them, or knowing the space they occupy). Using a malefaction is a swift action. At any given time, a malefex can have a maximum number of malefactions active equal to 3 + 1/2 her Wisdom bonus. She may only have one instance of a given malefaction active at once; if she wishes to use a malefaction she already has active, she must dismiss it (a free action) or wait until it ends. Though malefactions are not, strictly, limited, they rely on the malefex’s presence to keep them from fading. As such, malefactions last indefinitely so long as the malefex can still see, hear, or otherwise perceive the target. However, if the target escapes her awareness for 1 minute, each of her malefactions on them end. A malefex only knows a limited number of malefactions. She learns two malefactions at 1st level, and she increases in level, she learns additional malefactions as shown on Table 1-1: Malefex. At 1st level, a malefex may only learn least malefactions. Starting at 6th level she can learn lesser malefactions. At 11th level, she may learn greater malefactions, at 16th level, she may learn grim malefactions, and at 20th level, she may select a malediction. If a malefaction prompts a save, the save DC is equal to 10 + 1/2 the malefex’s class level + the malefex’s Wisdom modifier. Malefactions that require Fortitude saves can still affect objects and creatures without Constitution scores. Malefactions are curse effects. Malefactions can be found here. School of Hard Knocks At 1st level and again at 3rd level and every three malefex levels thereafter, a malefex selects a knock from those listed here. Knocks are tricks, edges, and tactics that the malefex learns through training or experience. Some knocks have prerequisites; the malefex must meet all prerequisites for a knock she wishes to select. Unless otherwise indicated, a given knock may only be selected once. Wrack (Su) A malefex can take advantage of the weaknesses she creates, driving her attacks home with merciless force. She gains a +1 bonus to attack rolls made against cursed creatures, which increases by +1 at 4th level and again every 4 levels thereafter. In addition, her attacks against cursed creatures deal additional damage equal to her Wisdom modifier. Trapfinding (Ex) A''' malefex adds 1/2 her class level (minimum +1) on Disable Device checks and on Perception checks made to locate traps. A malefex can use Disable Device to disarm magic traps like a rogue can. '''Skin Of My Teeth (Su) Starting at 2nd level, a malefex gains a bonus equal to her Wisdom modifier (if positive) as a bonus on Fortitude and Reflex saves. Sucker Jinx (Su) A malefex of 4th level or higher is adept at cursing people when their guards are down. Flanked creatures suffer a -2 penalty on saving throws against her malefactions, even if the malefex herself is not flanking them. Back-Alley Bargains (Su) A malefex of 5th level or higher can read the connections between community and commerce to turn up merchants and bargains in unlikely places. She gains a +2 insight bonus on Appraise checks. In addition, the malefex may concentrate as a move action on a specific kind of item (such as ‘magic weapons’, ‘potions’, or ‘wands’) and sense the direction and distance from herself to the nearest individual or shop that is selling such items, assuming one exists within 1 mile of the malefex. Schadenfreude (Su) Starting at 7th level, the malefex gains vitality by leeching the misfortune of her victims. She gains 5 temporary hit points whenever another creature within close range of her (25 feet + 5 feet per two class levels) fails a saving throw against an ability, maneuver, spell, or spell-like ability with the curse descriptor. At 14th level, this increases to temporary hit points equal to her class level. These temporary hit points stack with themselves, up to a total equal to 1/2 the malefex’s full maximum hit points, and last for up to 1 minute. Dual Malefaction (Su) Malefexes of 8th level or higher may use two malefactions with the same swift action, provided each has a different target. Cool Under Fire (Ex) A malefex of 10th level or higher has become so practiced in certain skills that they are second-nature to her. Upon gaining this ability, she selects a number of skills equal to her Wisdom modifier (minimum 1). When making a skill check with one of these skills, she may take 10 even if stress and distractions would normally prevent her from doing so. Upon Your House (Su) A malefex of 12th level or higher can affect any or all opponents within close range (25 feet + 5 feet per two malefex levels) of herself with a malefaction she invokes, instead of only one creature. The malefex cannot target objects when invoking a malefaction in this way, and she still cannot invoke that malefaction again until all creatures affected by it are no longer under its effects. Using this ability counts as invoking three malefactions for the purposes of how many malefactions the malefex can maintain. Curse Breaker (Sp) Starting at 13th level, a malefex may use break enchantment ''twice per day as a spell-like ability, with a caster level equal to her malefex level. '''Witch Walk (Su)' Starting at 13th level, a malefex may teleport a distance equal to her land speed as a move action. She must have line of effect to her destination and a reasonable idea of where it is (such as through sight, tremorsense, or a DC 10 Perception check to locate the square in question). Sublime Schadenfreude (Su) Starting at 14th level, the temporary hit points gained from the malefex’s schadenfreude ability instead last for up to 1 hour per class level. In addition, she may expend up to 4 temporary hit points per class level as a move action; if she does, she heals 1 hit point per 4 temporary hit points expended. A Dark and Stormy Night (Su) A malefex of 16th level or higher can tap her connection to myth and urban legends to wreath herself in dread. As a standard action,the malefex can project her power into a 30-foot radius around herself, altering it to fit her idea of a dreadful or cursed places. The appearance of stormy nights, billowing fog, or mist-choked graveyards are common, though not required; the images the malefex projects suit her idea of accursed places or dreadful moments. Regardless of their appearance, the malefex’s allies gain concealment and a +2 circumstance bonus on Intimidate checks while within this area, and her opponents suffer a -2 penalty to saving throws, which worsens to -4 against fear effects. This ability lasts for as long as the malefex wishes, and she cay cease projecting these images as a free action, even if it’s not her turn. This is an illusion (shadow) effect. Practiced Jinxing (Su) A malefex of 17th level or higher drives her curses home with refined expertise. Up to four times per day, as a free action, she may force an opponent to reroll its saving throw against one of her malefactions. This reroll must be declared after the opponent’s save has been rolled, but before its results have been determined. The opponent must use the results of the second roll, even if they are worse. You may not force an opponent to reroll the same saving throw more than one time with this ability. Lingering Misfortune (Su) Starting at 19th level, a malefex may teleport to any space adjacent to a creature suffering from one of her malefactions as a move action, regardless of the distance between her and that creature. She does not need line of sight or line of effect to that creature; indeed, she does not even need to know where it is or what plane it is on. She gets a brief glimpse of the area within 10 feet of the creature in question before she teleports, enough to safely select her space or choose not to make the teleportation. If the malefex has the bad penny knock, she may also teleport to a space adjacent to one of her pennies in this fashion. Favored Class Bonuses Characters can choose from the following alternate favored class options for the malefex: * '''All: '''Gain 1/6 of a new malefaction. * '''Aasimar: '''Add +1/6 to the DCs of malefactions. * '''Changeling: '''Gain 1/6 of a new witch hex, using the malefex's level in place of her witch level, and Wisdom instead of Intelligence to determine its effects and save DC (if any). * '''Dhampir: '''Gain +1/2 additional temporary hit points whenever they gain temporary hit points with a malefex class feature. * '''Dwarf: '''Gain +1/2 additional temporary hit points whenever they gain temporary hit points with a malefex class feature. * '''Elf: '''Gain a +1/3 bonus on saves against curse effects. * '''Gnome: '''Gain 1/6 of a new knock. * '''Halfling: '''Gain a +1/3 bonus on Perception checks made to locate traps and to Disable Device skill checks. * '''Half-elf: '''Gain a +1/2 bonus on Stealth checks. * '''Half-orc: '''Gain a +1/3 bonus to wrack damage. * '''Hexbreather: '''Gain 1/6 of a new witch hex, using the malefex's level in place of her witch level, and Wisdom instead of Intelligence to determine its effects and save DC (if any). * '''Human: '''Gain 1/3 of a Grudgebearer feat as a bonus feat. * '''Kitsune: '''Gain a +1/2 bonus on Bluff checks. * '''Merg: '''When using the step back racial ability, the malefex moves an additional 1 foot. This option has no effect until the malefex has selected it 5 times (or another increment of 5); a move of 14 feet is effectively the same as a move of 10 feet. * '''Shabti: '''Gain 1/4 of an additional use per day of the malefex’s racial ''suggestion ''ability. * '''Tiefling: '''Gain a +1/3 bonus to wrack damage. Archetypes Rustpicker